How to Conduct Interviews for

Smooth Sailing Dr. Donna Lewis,

Assistant Superintendent

Human Resources San Mateo Foster City School District

Mary Berkey,

Assistant Superintendent,

Human Resources, Union School District

Introduction District SizeStaff in our department

● Before the interview○ community input, paperscreening, question design, panel selection

● In the hallway○ what to say to candidates, do you provide questions in advance?

● During the interview○ confidentiality, guidelines, demographics, notes, scoring/ranking

● Interview models○ round robin, demo lessons, scenarios, role plays, written exercises, site visits,

Skype/FaceTime● After the interview

○ reference checks, Google, Facebook, Megan’s list

Overview

http://youtube.com/v/MBvvmaPyj-k

Before the Interview: Community InputWhy Community Input?● Principals, CBO, Superintendent● Qualities, characteristics, and attributes, educate community

about process● Staff, parents, other● Basis for interview questions, share with panel

Before the Interview: Paperscreeening

Who should paperscreen? Rubric Notes: non-discriminatory a must!

Rubrics can be simple

Value Comments

Relevance and scope of on-the-job experiences and accomplishment

Appropriateness and quality of training/education/ preparation

Quality of References

Entire packet as a communication tool and work product

Total

Letter of Application (11 total)Specific to Union (1)Signed (1)Error Free (1-3) Glaring Errors, Minor Error,

Error FreeLetter reflects understanding of our

community (1)Overall Quality (1-5) Adequate, Very Good,

ExemplaryApplication (2)

Error Free (1)Complete (1)

Resume (5)No unexplained holes (1)Pattern of 1 year, 2 year, 1 year, etc. w/out

logical explanation (-1)Overall Quality (1-3) Adequate, Very Good,

ExemplaryReference Letters (8)

Current Supervisor (1)Most Within the last two years (2) Older (1)Overall Quality (1-5) Adequate, Very Good,

Exemplary

Job Experience (10)

Elementary Teaching (1)

Middle School Teaching (2)

High School Teaching (1)

Special Education Teaching (1)

Counseling (1)

CLAD (1)

Needs BTSA (-1)

B.S. (1)

M.A. (1)

PHD/EDD (1)

Overall as a Communication Tool (5)

Overall Quality (1-5) Adequate, Very Good, Exemplary

Total

Percent

Rubrics can be complex

Before the Interview: Question Design

Is this a good question?Let’s up the DOK level…why or why not?What is your greatest weakness?

Research says… NO

Best you can expect: Canned answer

Worst you can expect: Catching someone off guard, getting the truth and having a truly awkward moment with your panel and a lot of silence

Is this a good question?Let’s up the DOK level…why or why not?What do you see yourself doing in 10 Years?

Research says… NO

I’ll continue to be a teacher – Yuck, lacks ambition

Running the place – just sounds arrogant

No good answer

In the HallwayWhat to say to candidates: No surprises How many panelists How many questions How much time If we need to move along

Do you give them the questions in advance?

It depends!

Just before the Interview:Pre -meeting with Panelists

No one is absolutely perfect, and no one is absolutely horrible.

Confidentiality agreement Guidelines Review application materials Assign questions Demographics Notes (Write in pencil ...you might change your mind!)

Do you have a group goal?

Guidelines for the Interview Process

U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII, Equal Opportunity Act of 1972:1.Extend coverage to all public facilities, including public education2.Provide for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to

file suitInterview team must be consistent and same questions must be asked in same order.Do not ask about: marital status, ancestry or national origin, pregnance, race or color of skin, age, religious affiliation...

Guidelines: Administrators

“...there is no expectation that the person will be selected in this round of interviews.”

Confidentiality

Assurance of Confidentiality (sample)

Union School District’s selection process is designed to provide fair and equal treatment for all applicants. Inherent in that process is the assurance of complete confidentiality. Selection committees are composed of staff, student, and community individuals, and the credibility of the selection process rests primarily with the conduct of these committee members in carrying out their duties. For the protection of the applicant and of the Union School District, all committee deliberations must remain confidential. To emphasize the importance of this assurance of confidentiality, each member of the selection committee is asked to sign this brief affidavit stating that they will not reveal any information about committee discussions or individual applicants at any time during the selection process or after the selection is made public.

Selection Committee Demographics

Why collect demographic data on the selection committee?What should you collect? Name Position Location Gender Ethnicity

Why We Need Interview Guidelines

Interviewing Techniques

1. Preview application packets.2. Make sure the applicant qualifies for the position.3. Make the applicant feel at ease.4. Be careful of first impressions.5. Consider the”Halo Effect” error.6. Be aware of your own biases or preferences.7. Let the applicant do most of the talking.

Interviewing Techniques

8. Don’t ask trick questions or questions designed to trap the candidate.9. Be careful of your non-verbal communication.10. Don’t contradict or argue with the candidate or to cross-examine him/her.11. Do pause a few seconds after the candidate appears to have completed a response.12. Oftentimes one or more of the interviewers may know a candidate. Don’t engage in informal conversation.13. The same interview committee must interview each applicant. 14. Collect all notes and questions and save for 2-3 years.

Scoring

Forced ranking Points/rubric Debriefing: plus/delta chart What would you want to know? Who can you live with?

Interviewer’s Rating Sheet

Interviewer’s Rating Sheet

Please use the following Scoring Guide. Please do not use fractions of points. The maximum points for any question is 9

0 3 6 9

Minimal Skill, Limited Knowledge Good Skills, Competent Knowledge Superior Skills, Outstanding Knowledge

1. Please briefly describe…….. Rating

______

Forced Ranking Sheet

Interview Models: Teachers

Panel make-up Panel Prep Round Robin Process To demo or not to demo that is the question...

Round RobinQuestion: Please describe your familiarity with the Common Core State Standards and with

the Smarter Balanced Assessment. What do you believe will be the most challenging part of implementation and (time permitting) what do you think will be the most exciting part of implementation?

Rating – Circle 1 Adequate …………...9 Exemplary 1….2...3….4….5...6….7….8….9.

Notes

Rating – Circle 1 Adequate …………...9 Exemplary 1….2...3….4….5...6….7….8….9.

Notes

Round Robin

Interview Models: Administrators

Panel make-up If you don’t have the expertise, ask an outside person

How many panels? Technical, community

Round 1 & 2 & 3 Site visits Scenarios? Role Plays? Written Exercises?

After the Interview: Reference Checks

What do you ask?

What can you say?

Honesty or a dance of lemons?

Google/Facebook/Megan’s List

Questions, Comments, Advice...